Method of transmitting an optical data signal via a fiber optical medium in opposite directions at the same carrier wavelength

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to fiber optic communication engineering and can be used in fiber optic communication systems for creating several independent communication channels.

This invention relates to fiber optic communication engineering and can be used in fiber optic communication systems for creating communication channels.

Known is (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_form-factor_pluggable_transceiver#cite_note-spec-11 , SFF-8431) the use of SFP+ modules for creating high speed duplex channels with up to 10 Gbps data rates. For example, WDM SFP+ modules are intended for creating a duplex communication channel in a single fiber.

Disadvantages of said method are the low efficient use of the fibers and the impossibility to simultaneously connect other devices to the same fibers.

Known is (U.S. Pat. No 5,212,586) the use of optical circulators for the transmission of two data streams in different directions via the same fiber and at the same wavelength. An optical circulator is a fully passive device the operation principle of which is based on the effect of nonreciprocal rotation of polarization planes (the so-called Faraday Effect). Two mutually orthogonal polarized planes are used for data transmission. One of them conducts the optical signal in one direction, and the other one, in the opposite direction.

Disadvantages of said method are the relatively high cost determined by the price of the optical circulators and the low efficient use of the fibers (this efficiency is limited by the transparency windows of the optical circulators).

The object of the method provided herein is to increase the utilization efficiency of the optic fibers by using optical signals transmitted in opposite directions at one wavelength.

It is suggested to achieve said objective using the method of transmitting an optical data signal via a fiber optical medium in opposite directions at the same carrier wavelength, an embodiment of which comprises the use of a fiber-optical line which may comprise passive optical elements and is terminated with transparent bidirectional signal dividers intended for the input/output of data signals to/from the fiber-optical line, wherein preliminarily or during the implementation of the method, the overall reflected signal power reaching the input of the optical receiver is measured or calculated for a specific optical communication system, said value is compared with the maximum noise power acceptable for data signal extraction by the receiver, and then, by excluding and/or redistributing highly reflecting elements in the path of the optical signal between the transmitter and the receiver, or by replacing said elements for lower reflecting ones, the overall power of the reflected signal reaching the input of the optical receiver is lowered to a level that is acceptable for separating the target optical signal from the overall optical signal reaching the input of the optical receiver and, as a result, the transmission of the optical signal is achieved in the opposite directions at the same carrier wavelength for a specific fiber-optical communication system.

The existing schemes of creating duplex channels require either two fibers or two wavelengths for signal receipt and transmission. However, these methods are not efficient because to provide a duplex communication channel requires a large quantity of resources that are limited (optic fiber and spectral band). For example, standard CWDM systems allow creating only 8 duplex channels per one fiber using these schemes.

The method provided herein does not require using any techniques of selective division of signals (for example, by wavelength or polarization) for the division of directions and extends their applicability for further signal multiplexing.

Also, the creation of a duplex channel using this method will not produce any four-wave mixing interference because the channel will only use one carrier instead of two as in conventional methods.

Furthermore, this method fundamentally changes the scheme of connecting the spectral multiplexing elements to the optic fiber, thus allowing the creation of high-speed distributed single fiber communication networks in addition to the conventional point-to-point scheme.

The use of this method in combination with wavelength division multiplexing methods (WDM, CWDM, DWDM etc.) increases the utilization efficiency of optic fibers twofold, improves the reliability of the communication channels created with this method and lowers channel cost by significantly reducing the required quantity of passive wavelength division multiplexing elements.

Utilization result (Depending on Wavelength Division Multiplexing Method Used)

Without DLFW DLFW WDM and without without DLFW WDM WDM DLFW and WDM Optic Fiber 1 2 times 8 times 16 times Utilization Efficiency Gain Optic Communication 1 1.6 times   1 times 1.8 times  Channel Reliability Gain Channel Creating 1 2 times 6 times 15 times Cost Reduction (Optic Fiber and Passive Elements) Creation of no no limited yes Distributed Channels in a Single Fiber Note: this table presents a comparison with conventional wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) method for a single fiber, i.e. 8-channel CWDM.

The method was tested in an operator's network during 3 years and proved to be efficient.

The basis for applying this method was the assumption that the overall power of reflected signal produced in fiber during the sending of an optical signal determined by the physical properties of a homogeneous fiber having standard parameters is negligible.

To assess the level of the reflected signal in a homogeneous fiber, we conducted a number of experiments aiming at measuring the parameters of reflected signals at the radiation input point in a sufficiently long homogeneous fiber.

Experimental results for main standard types of single-mode fiber showed that the reflected signal level is −55 to −70 dB.

Estimates suggest that for a standard single-mode fiber aperture the reflected signal level in a fiber of the maximum practical length cannot exceed −55 dB.

The results of calculations and measurements suggest the following:

The largest part of the reflected signal power received at the input of an optical communication system during the sending of an optical signal is produced at highly reflective points of the fiber-optical medium whereas the percentage of return radiation power determined by the physical properties of a homogeneous fiber having standard parameters is negligible.

The highly reflective points of communication systems (hereinafter, reflecting elements) can be, for example, connectors and introduced passive optical elements (attenuators, CWDM components etc.).

Thus, to transmit an optical signal of the same wavelength via one single-mode fiber in opposite directions, it is sufficient to have the reflected signal (noise) at the receiver input generated by the reflecting elements of the communication system sufficiently low for reliable extraction of the data signal.

The calculation model used comprises:

-   -   an optical transmitter;     -   an optical receiver;     -   any bidirectional (transparent) signal coupling/splitting device         (e.g. an optical splitter/coupler);     -   a fiber optical medium which may comprise other passive optical         components;     -   reflecting elements which may be, for example,         couplers/splitters, wavelength division multiplexing elements,         connectors etc.

For this scheme, the level of signal reflected inside the fiber optical medium is the main and greatest contribution to the overall noise and it should be lower than the minimum acceptable noise level of the optical receiver.

During designing of DLFW channels and/or their creation in existing communication systems as per the method provided herein, one should primarily calculate the overall power of the reflected signal coming to the input of the optical receiver, generated by all the reflecting elements occurring in the path of the transmitter signal.

The overall power P_(ref) of the reflected signal at the input of the receiver is equal to the sum of the powers of the reflected signals reaching the input of the receiver from each of the reflecting elements occurring in the path of the signal.

For a scheme comprising n reflecting elements,

${P_{ref} = {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n}\; P_{r\; e\; f\; \_ \; i}}},W,$

where P_(ref) is the overall power of the reflected signal reaching the input of the optical receiver and P_(ref) _(—) _(i) is the power of the reflected signal reaching the input of the receiver from the i^(th) reflecting element.

The optical power P_(ref) _(—) _(i) coming to the input of the receiver from the i^(th) reflecting element is calculated based on the logarithmic power level of the i^(th) reflecting element, p_(ref) _(—) _(i):

${P_{r\; e\; f\; \_ \; i} = 10^{\frac{p_{r\; e\; f\; \_ \; i}}{10}}},{dBW},$

which, in turn, is calculated as follows:

p _(ref) _(—) _(i) =p _(tr) −A _(i) −A _(ref) _(—) _(i) −A _(ret) _(—) _(i) , dBW,

where p_(tr) is the transmitter signal level, dBW, A_(i) is the optical loss between the close end transmitter and the i^(th) reflecting element, dB, A_(ref) _(—) _(i) is the return loss of the i^(th) reflecting element, dB (as per the reflecting element specifications), and A_(ret) _(—) _(i) is the inverse direction optical loss between the i^(th) reflecting element and the close end receiver, dB.

Then,

${P_{r\; e\; f\; \_ \; i} = 10^{\frac{p_{tr} - A_{i} - A_{{re}\; f\; \_ \; i} - A_{{re}\; t\; \_ \; i}}{10}}},W,$

and hence

${P_{ref} = {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n}\; 10^{\frac{p_{tr} - A_{i} - A_{{re}\; f\; \_ \; i} - A_{{re}\; t\; \_ \; i}}{10}}}},W,{P_{ref} = {10^{\frac{p_{tr}}{10}}{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n}\; 10^{\frac{{- A_{i}} - A_{{re}\; f\; \_ \; i} - A_{{re}\; t\; \_ \; i}}{10}}}}},W,$

The logarithmic level of the overall reflected signal at the input of the receiver is

p_(ref) = 10 lgP_(ref), dBW, or ${p_{ref} = {p_{tr} + {10\; \lg {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n}\; 10^{\frac{{- A_{i}} - A_{{re}\; f\; \_ \; i} - A_{{re}\; t\; \_ \; i}}{10}}}}}},{{dBW}.}$

The following assumptions are made for the calculation of the noise at the receiver input:

1. The power of the signal reflected from the opposite end is considered negligible taking into account the large loss in its path (equal to double line loss). For example, for a system with 15 dB loss (taking into account the losses at the splitters) and 16 dB reflection loss at mechanical connections, the power level of the signal reflected from the opposite end and coming to the input of the optical receiver is −46 dBW (if the transmitting power level is 0 dBW) while the sensitivity of the receivers used in systems with this level of loss is at least −26 dBW. 2. The power of secondary order reflected signal noise at the receiver input (reflections from reflections) is negligible. Calculations suggest that the secondary order reflected signal noise power level at the receiver input is by 60 dB or more lower than the overall noise power of first order reflected signals. 3. The signal reflection power level in a homogeneous fiber is negligible (−55 dB).

The overall noise power level at the receiver input caused by the above or other reasons is considered negligible and is not taken into account.

The calculated power level p_(n) _(—) _(ref) of the reflected signal at the the maximum receiver input is compared with the maximum acceptable noise of the receiver p_(max) _(—) _(n) _(—) _(rec) shown in the equipment specifications (typically −35 to −40 dB) with a 3 dB safety margin (i.e. 50%) for other types of noise (including far end reflections, reflection in the homogeneous fiber and noises coming from adjacent CWDM channels).

The requirement is as follows:

p _(max) _(—) _(n) _(—) _(rec) >p _(ref)+3 dB.

Furthermore, if the equipment specifications define the minimum acceptable logarithmic signal-to-noise ratio at the receiver input (p_(min) _(—) _(snr), dB), then:

p _(min) _(—) _(snr) >p _(rec) −p _(ref)−3 dB,

where p_(rec) is the effective level of the signal from the opposite terminal transmitter received at the receiver input.

The above conditions should be satisfied for all the devices involved in the transmission of the data signal. All measurements and calculations are made for the required wavelength.

Based on the results of analysis and depending on the element composition of the fiber optical medium, by excluding and/or redistributing highly reflecting elements in the path of the optical signal between the transmitter and the receiver, or by replacing said elements for lower reflecting ones, the overall power of the optical signal reaching the input of the optical receiver is lowered to a level that is acceptable for extracting the useful data signal from the overall optical signal reaching the input of the optical receiver and, consequently, the transmission of the optical signal is achieved in the opposite directions at the same wavelength for a specific fiber-optical communication system.

This scheme provides for stable operation of the channels either in systems with wavelength division multiplexing or without it, and the type of wavelength division multiplexing used is not critical (WDM, CWDM, DWDM, HDWDM).

This scheme can be implemented either without wavelength division multiplexing or with additional wavelength division multiplexing (WDM, CWDM, DWDM).

In one embodiment of the scheme according to this method which can be implemented commercially, n duplex channels are created in one fiber optical medium using n wavelength bands, wherein only one optical band is used both for the receipt and for the transmission of a signal in one channel of the fiber optical medium.

The functions of the units and elements of the scheme are as follows:

1) Optical transmitter: generates a modulated optical data signal at the carrier wavelength dedicated for the specific channel (an active element).

2) Optical receiver: receives and processes the modulated optical data signal at the carrier wavelength dedicated for the specific channel (an active element).

3) Dual direction (transparent) coupler/splitter: dual direction (transparent) coupling/splitting device that joints/splits optical transmission and receipt channels in space to ensure non-selective (without wavelength division) optical signal splitting (a passive element).

4) Fiber optical line comprising at least one optical fiber.

5) Wave multiplexer or OADM component: wavelength division multiplexer or component that allows transmitting multiple optical signals at different wavelengths via one fiber (a passive element).

The scheme operates as follows:

The optical transmitter generates a modulated optical data signal at the carrier wavelength dedicated for the specific channel. The signal then comes to one of the outputs of the bi-directional (transparent) coupler drop-splitter and further to the bi-directional OADM through which the received and the transmitted signals of the channel are sent. Then the signal propagates via the single fiber optical line together with the signals of other channels having different carrier wavelengths. At the output of the fiber optical line the required channel is separated from the other channel signals by the OADM component and fed to the common input of the bidirectional (transparent) coupler/splitter.

The signal reaching the coupler/splitter is split in two. One part of the signal is fed to the laser insulator and attenuated, and the signal of the other output comes to the optical receiver which processes the signal.

All the passive elements of the fiber-optic communication system should ensure the simultaneous transmission of the signals in two directions. If this scheme is used in an optical system with wavelength division multiplexing, all the couplers/splitters are installed beyond the grouped signal propagation range and therefore add losses to the signal of only one channel rather than to the entire system.

This system also allows transmitting signals from different channels in opposite directions at the same wavelength and hence further increasing the band density of the existing WDM channels.

For measuring the reflected signal level at the input of the receiver it is sufficient to measure the level of the signal reaching the input of said receiver when the close end transmitter is on and the far end transmitter is off.

Below are results of practical testing of the scheme. The tests of the embodiment of the method for creating a duplex communication channel in a single fiber using one carrier wavelength for receipt and transmission proved its operability and confirmed the achievement of the object stated herein.

The laboratory test bed comprised standard OADM/CWDM components as the wavelength division multiplexer and 50/50 splitters, and the system was simulated by fibers that introduced 0.32 and 0.35 dB losses and two 10 dB attenuators. Each attenuator was connected to the FC socket of the APC. The terminal equipment was connected to LC type sockets.

The tests were conducted for 4 duplex channels at 1310, 1330, 1350 and 1370 nm carrier wavelengths.

The test results are presented in the test report for the circuit for creating a duplex communication channel in a single fiber using one carrier wavelength for receipt and transmission:

Measurement Carrier Right Left Arm Active Section (nm) Arm (dB) (dB) Equipment Direct Loss 1310 −31.9 −30.7 SFP 1330 −30.6 −30.7 module 1350 −30.2 −30.1 (optical 1370 −29.7 −29.9 transmitter/ Reflection 1310 −55.3 −49.2 optical Loss 1330 −59.6 −53.1 receiver) 1350 −59.9 −60.3 Topaz- 1370 −55.8 −50 7105 (optical power meter)

Taking into account that the receiver sensitivity of the selected SFP modules is 40 dB, and their operability is guaranteed at a sensitivity of 37 dB (SFP 150 km Syoptec, 1 GB), these results prove the feasibility of creating duplex channels at each of the selected wavelengths in a single fiber to improve the utilization efficiency of the existing optic fiber and the spectral band.

Currently, approx. 50 communication channels created using this scheme are intensely used in the operator's network. 

1. A method of transmitting an optical data signal via a fiber optical medium in opposite directions at the same carrier wavelength, comprising: providing a fiber-optical line comprising passive optical elements and is terminated with transparent bidirectional signal dividers for input/output of data signals to and/or from the fiber-optical line, wherein preliminarily or during implementation of the method, an overall reflected signal power reaching the input of an optical receiver is measured or calculated for a specific optical communication system, wherein a value is compared with a maximum noise power acceptable for a data signal extraction by the optical receiver, and then, by excluding and/or redistributing highly reflecting elements in a path of an optical signal between a transmitter and the optical receiver, or by replacing the passive optical elements for lower reflecting ones, wherein an overall power of a reflected signal reaching the input of the optical receiver is lowered to a level that is acceptable for separating a target optical signal from an overall optical signal reaching the input of the optical receiver and, as a result, the transmission of the optical signal is achieved in the opposite directions at the same carrier wavelength for the specific optical communication system. 